2019 People Against Poverty Campaign
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St. LouiS AmericAn The
CAC Audited NOVEMBER 7 – 13, 2019
91 years serving, empowering and advocating equity in St. Louis
Vol. 91 No. 33 COMPLIMENTARY
stlamerican.com
“No matter what denomination or religious background, the community is welcome to worship with us at convocation.”
Attorneys allege ‘clear pattern’ of civil rights violations
– Bishop Frank A. White, COGIC financial secretary Bishop Elijah Hankerson III, pastor of Life Center International Church of God in Christ, joined The Church of God in Christ’s National Prayer Walk on Saturday, November 2 as the saints gathered in St. Louis for COGIC’s 112th annual Holy Convocation.
Resisting arrest charges routed to city muni court to shield police; city denies it broke law By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American On August 14, 2017, St. Louis Police Officer Adam Feaman used a large flashlight to hit Jamal White, an unarmed black man in his mid-twenties, in the face and crack his jaw. The entire incident was caught on camera from a bystander’s phone. In the video, the officer is heard telling White that he was being arrested for violating a loud noise ordinance — Jamal for “squealing his tires” White — and will also be charged with resisting arrest. Feaman now faces felony charges of assault and armed criminal action, along with a lawsuit in federal court alleging excessive force. Feaman’s last day at the department was January 16, a police spokeswoman said. Lakenia A few months after the Mahdi incident, White’s lawyer Jermaine Wooten was trying to get his client’s resisting arrest charge resolved through the St. Louis City Counselor’s Office — because it was deemed a city ordinance violation. That’s when Wooten was presented with a release
Photo by Wiley Price
‘This is God’s time’ COGIC gathers in St. Louis for 112th Holy Convocation By Elizabeth Sharpe-Taylor For The St. Louis American “The time for assembly is God’s time,” said Superintendent John Smith during the welcome service for The Church of God in Christ’s (COGIC) 112th annual Holy Convocation. “It is not time to go to a beauty salon. It is not time to go play golf. It is not time to watch a basketball game. This is God’s time.” In its tenth consecutive year in St. Louis, COGIC’s annual spiritual gathering is bringing
thousands of people to downtown St. Louis for praise and worship at America’s Center. More than 30,000 faithful are assembling for biblical instruction, training, and spiritual inspiration. “The Church of God in Christ is one of the oldest Pentecostal denominations in the country and our annual Holy Convocation is the largest, singular Christian conference that inspires and encourages hundreds of thousands of believers across the globe,” said Bishop Charles E. Blake Sr., presiding bishop of COGIC worldwide.
See ARRESTS, A6
The worship service broadcasts to 12,000 local congregations across the nation and 105 countries globally. COGIC is comprised of more than six million members around the world. During Holy Convocation, convention members spend a substantial amount of time in the community as servant leaders, service providers and patrons. St. Louis has benefited from hosting
Aldridge and Person succeed Frank and Walker in Missouri House
See COGIC, A6
Army vet Willard Smith fought foreign enemies – and Jim Crow Black veteran of three wars says, ‘You did what you had to do to survive’ By Clara Germani For The St. Louis American At the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace in London a couple years back, Willard Smith heard some younger tourists nearby speaking Korean and he began to hum the South Korean national anthem, turning to them and greeting them in Korean. The moment of mutual delight between the 90-something African American, who as a U.S.
By Jason Rosenbaum and Julie O’Donoghue Of St. Louis Public Radio
Army sergeant commanded South Korean and black platoons in the Korean war, and the younger South Koreans is captured in photos Smith likes to share. Proud of the languages he picked up during his Army career – spanning 23 years and duty in three Pacific theaters of war – Smith finds his skills to be a useful peacetime remnant of difficult war experiences. As the U.S. celebrates Veterans Day, a holiday for thanking living veterans for their service, Smith – now 93 – reminisced about his Army service in war in Japan, Korea and Vietnam without a tinge of emotion. Rather, he tells war stories – spanning the prosaic details of being a private specializing in automotive parts identification on a makeshift base See SMITH, A7
Rasheen Aldridge faced no competition in the contest to fill out of the rest of former state Rep. Bruce Franks’ term in the St. Louis-based 78th House District in a special election on Tuesday, November 5. Franks resigned to tend to his anxiety and depression. Aldridge first came on the political scene in the city as an activist within the movement to raise the minimum wage. Then-Gov. Jay Nixon later appointed Aldridge to the Ferguson Commission, which sought to chart out a policy path after Michael Brown’s shooting death. Aldridge was ultimately elected 5th Ward committeeman in 2016, See HOUSE, A7
Willard Smith
HEALTH
BUSINESS
Barnes-Jewish West County is now open
The finance boss at the Saint Louis Zoo
Two preps picked to play in All-American Game
A medical office building that will be connected to the hospital will open in 2020.
Cassandra Brown Ray will receive the Corporate Executive of the Year Award at the 2019 Business Salute.
Jordan Johnson of DeSmet and Antonio Doyle of Lutheran North were selected to the U.S. Army All-American Game on January 4th.
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SPORTS